In the case of the present translations I have done my best to present them in a form that can easily be understood from an English reader’s standpoint. There is little pretence on my part of presenting them as efforts of any literary merit as far as English is concerned, but I have tried to translate simply, yet without losing the charm of the original Japanese text.
I am deeply indebted to the following translators who did the original translations from Japanese into English with my collaboration:
The late Mr. Yoshinobu Tada,
Professor of English at the Matsue High School, in western Japan.
Mr. Haruo Endo,
A boy student of the 4th year grade of the Seijo Middle School, Tokyo, Japan.
Mr. Eiji Ukai,
Professor of English at the Seijo Middle School, Tokyo, Japan.
Mr. Eitaro Sayama,
Professor of English at the Seijo Gakuin, Kinuta Mura, near Tokyo.
Any faults that may be found by the reader in the interpretation of the contents of this book lies entirely with the translators, but should the readers find in it some deserving or praiseworthy merits, the credit is entirely due to the original Japanese text.
February 1930.
Eric S. Bell
Suzuno Isamu,
Higashi Kaigan, Chigasaki,
Kanagawa-ken, Japan.
